Also...

[la_marquise]

I have the honour and privilege of blogging today on the Big Idea feature on John Scalzi's website, Whatever. I'm talking about banned books and printing and Antwerp: do come by and take a look. And many, many thanks to Mr Scalzi.

Elsewhere, I'm preparing my talk for Congenial, writing about musketeers, pondering my new book idea and wondering what the cats are doing. How are your days going so far?

Skirt of the day: blue cotton.

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

We also visited the museum you mention- fascinating place.

For your delectation and entertainment, my Antwerp pics may be found ici:

http://s1189.photobucket.com/albums/z429/cmcmck/Antwerp%202010/

Warning! There is much Art Nouveau! :o)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Oh, thank you! It's a fine place.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

Those are lovely. Antwerp is one of my all time favourite cities

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Why thankee! :o)

I lived in Belgium (Brugge) for some time, so it's a country I still feel very connected to.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

I also had a wonderful time in Brugge. Lucky you.
What were you doing there?

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

When I copped out of school at 15 I needed to work and they were a lot less strict about who taught EFL back then.......I worked for a pittance from 16-19 when I came back to the UK as I'd been accepted by a uni unqualified- they thought my 'life experience' little as it was, was good enough.

The rest is history............

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it worked out - not that it can have been easy. Good for you.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Life has a habit of working out no matter how complicated it may appear at the time. :o)

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

It does if you keep working at it, but too often people give up, and settle for whatever life chooses to throw at them. As a teacher, I find that sad.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I taught seriously disabled and terminally ill kids so they knew about what life throws- made me realise that what it had thrown at me was comparatively little. :o)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

What a fabulous place to live! The marquis swears he wants to retire to Belgium, because people are so nice and he loves the beer.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

The Belgians are indeed lovely folk- it's just a pity that they (or at least their politicians) are now spending all their time trying to create division along the language line.

Belgium is a country in the process of disinventing itself, which is tragic. :o(

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Yes, I find that very sad.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

This is why I worry, being an Englishwoman married to a Scot- I can all too easily see things going the same way if we aren't careful.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Oh yes.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

He should talk to Nicholas Whyte who has lived in Brussels for several years. I think he's on the committee for one of the upcoming UK cons.

I had a Euro-project with Belgian partners. They wee wonderful and the plenary meetings in Antwerp were a foodies delight!

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I suspect it was the Belgians, not the French, who invented haute cuisine- they certainly invented pommes frites and let you know it on every possible occasion. :o)

[calendula-witch.livejournal.com]

Bleary and sleepy so far...had to wake up early to go do an airport run! :/

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I hope the rest of the day is good.

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

You are a busy lady!

My day is good so far. I'm off tomorrow (oldest son's birthday), so today is my Friday. That makes it even better!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Yay!

[a-d-medievalist.livejournal.com]

good for you!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Thank you.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

Little grey cells are demolished from an all day guiding gig. 14 intelligent, curious and lively Japanese - I wore them out and they reciprocated; great fun was had by all. Now I'm exhausticated and in need of a drink and a lie down.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Have a nice, relaxing evening.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

Thank you - already starting to decompress.

[athenais.livejournal.com]

I loved your Musketeers book and I'm super excited to read TGKC. If only it would arrive! That was a good entry over at Scalzi's. I'm happy to have the background for this latest novel's inception.

My day is pretty calm. I'm doing a lot of business paperwork/emailing today and feeling accomplished. I think I'll take myself out to lunch as a reward!

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

I hope you like it. It's... odd.
A pile of completed paperwork is always a goodness!

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Getting ready for an influx of writers on Sunday for the second Northwrite SF meeting. Sue Thomason, John Moran, Terie Garrison, Terry Jackman, Jim Gotaas, Ian Creasey. Still got some critting to do. Also thinking about what to do for lunch for them all. Sue is coming on Saturday evening and staying over, which will be lovely!
http://www.northwritesf.com/
(Edited to correct URL)

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Sounds good! Have a great time, and do give everyone I know my love. (Especially Sue.)

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Will do.
:-)

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

carnivorous mud????? How will I ever go into the lake to swim again? ARGH! Can't wait to read the book; can't swim in the winter anyway.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

It's not in the water; it's the remains of a dried-up river. So as long as there is loose water, you're safe!

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

OK, I will take that under advisement.